Mutated strain of coronavirus 'can jump back and forth'

By Helen Briggs
BBC Environment correspondent

Published

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-54918267

2 hours ago

A new coronavirus strain could potentially leap to other animals, such as rats, mice, ferrets and voles, an expert has warned.

The virus could then "come back in future years into the human population", said Sir Jeremy Farrar, director of the Wellcome Trust.

His comments came amid new warnings about the virus's evolution in mink.

The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control said mink-to-human transmission could occur.

And continued spread of coronavirus (Sars-CoV-2) in mink farms may eventually give rise to other mutated strains, or variants, "of concern".

Further assessment was needed to assess whether mutated forms of the virus might hinder the effectiveness of treatments or vaccines, a new report concluded.

12 minutes ago, 3NUMBAS said:

A new coronavirus strain could potentially leap to other animals, such as rats, mice, ferrets and voles, an expert has warned.

So probably also cats & dogs... Perhaps pet-keeping will soon be as passe as bat-eating...

They have always known that. They are stopping all the mink farms. Unfortunate for the poor animals but not a bad thing for me.,

A mutated strain can be found already usually wearing a brown uniform covered in mysterious badges ????